Christians can be finger-pointing self-important know-it-alls in the habit of condemning everyone else’s problems and sins without looking in the mirror.
Well, now I’ve made a lot of people angry. And that’s the point. Haven’t you seen it? Haven’t you been it? I have. I wonder why that attitude spreads so easily. What does it look like?
Harsh criticism is reserved for the ‘big sinners’ while my own sins are brushed away as unimportant.
Some doctrinal conclusions are more important than any relationships within the church, thus becoming a dividing issue.
Difficulty being nice to sinners, but I expect my flaws to be overlooked by everyone.
Judgment of others is a favorite hobby.
Here’s another problem.
How many readers at this moment are thinking of someone else? This is an attitude we find most unattractive in others, so why do we assume it so easily. Jesus warned the disciples that this attitude grows like kudzu. In his own words…
“Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” - Matthew 16:6
The disciples do not have the advantage of looking at the next few verses for clarification. They start thinking about bread and not having any - forgetting Jesus can make enough bread to feed thousands without breaking a sweat. No, the leaven … the spreading influence that affects everything around it is the attitude and teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Luke adds a component to this statement.
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” -Luke 12:1
It is hypocritical to be worried about everyone else’s sin and not worried about your own. It’s that old log in your own eye (Matthew 7:3). I see it a lot on social media. I hear it in conversations about the sins of other people. It is so ugly, but why is it so attractive? Why is it leaven?
Why would anyone want to take on the attitude of the Pharisees?
Because it releases you from looking at yourself.
Because it hides behind selective verses of Scripture.
Because it makes you feel holier than other people.
Because you can find some support from others who will also “stand” with you.
Because it is likely more natural / fleshly.
Because it is a tool of the Enemy.
Maybe there are other reasons, but reading through Matthew’s account, it just struck me that this is an ugly enough attitude that we ought to reject it by nature. But Jesus knew better. He knew there was something about it that catches on, spreads, grows, consumes, and changes.
We understand that some actions and thoughts are sinful.
Being wary of the leaven of the Pharisees does not mean we fall into the trap of thinking that nothing is sinful anymore. In our culture the only person who is always wrong is the person who stands with the Scripture in saying something is wrong.
Even so, some things that are proclaimed as ‘sound doctrine’ are not. I disagree with people all the time. I disagree with myself. Are we willing to sit down and study, and talk calmly about important Bible themes without throwing down lines of fellowship because someone doesn’t agree with us? Can we give people room to grow - grace them with time to figure it out? Or do we demand that they see things the way we do?
The Pharisees were quick to judge, quick to demand that others follow their guidelines, and quick to toss people out of the synagogue. Have we developed that attitude in the church? I’ve seen it.
It’s leaven. It spreads. We might look at it and not like what we see, but it grows on us (in us). If we are not careful, we can even begin to see our exalted view of ourselves as true faithfulness.
But Jesus said to beware of it - and I’d rather listen to him than a room full of Christians (preachers?) who think they’re the only ones who have figured out the code and no one else is going to make it.
“Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
John we all needed that lesson. Thanks.
You said “I disagree with myself” and I laughed. :)